Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez has spoken briefly with former Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who also underwent an osteotomy procedure during his playing career. But Lopez doesn’t think their situations are going to be exactly the same.

“Like I said before, I’m not looking for any restrictions,” Lopez told two reporters Friday. “I’m confident I’m gonna be able to go out there and be better than I’ve ever been. So from that standpoint, I think our timetables will be different.”

Yet, the Nets played better without him, switching to a small-ball lineup following his injury.

Now the coach who implemented to shift, Jason Kidd, is gone, and so is the pivotal stretch four, Paul Pierce. Brooklyn, under Lionel Hollins, will look different this season, and Lopez is a big part of that.